Drawer slide having novel front panel connection

ABSTRACT

A channel shaped slide for the underside of a drawer having a fluted angled internal tab at its front end for securing the slide to a drawer having a hollow front panel.

ilnited States Patent [191 Gutner Mar. 19, 1974 DRAWER SLIDE HAVING NOVEL FRONT PANEL CONNECTION Inventor: Kenneth H. Gutner, 3285 Doto,

Highland Park, Ill. 60035 Filed: Mar. 9, 1973 Appl. No.: 339,574

vs. C! 312/330, 312/345, 308/36 Int. Cl. F16 c 29/00 Field of Search 308/38, 3.6; 312/342.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Gutner 312/345 3,365,261 1/1968 Gutner 312/347 Primary ExaminerCharles J Myhre Assistant ExaminerR. H. Lazarus 5 7 ABSTRACT A channel shaped slide for the underside of a drawer having a fluted angled internal tab at its front end for securing the slide to a drawer having a hollow front panel.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures DRAWER SLIDE HAVING NOVEL FRONT PANEL CONNECTION BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention is an improvement on my earlier US. Pat. No. 3,694,049 issued Sept. 26, 1972. The structure of the earlier patent dealt with a slide for a conventional drawer, viz., one with solid wood walls or panels, particularly the drawer front panel.

Inasmuch as the front panel of a drawer is one viewed most often, furniture manufacturers have labored to make it attractive. However, in attempting to meet the demand for more inexpensive furniture, single piece, homogeneous wooden panels have been supplanted by veneer type front panels and even here, greater econornies and varieties of attractiveness can be attained if the front panel is made of plastic. The instant invention has to do with a drawer constructed with a hollow plastic front panel and here it will be appreciated that conventional techniques of stapling, nailing, etc. are unavailable.

The drawer slide desirability must be fixed in place against both lateral and longitudinal movement adjacent the bottom panel of the drawer so as to cooperate with the complementarily shaped guide provided on the frame of the dresser or the like. Inasmuch as the thin, rigid plastic of the front panel is unsuitable for conventional connection with the drawer slide, a problem has arisen where the slide is only fixed by staples at its rear end. Here it will be appreciated that the remaining panels of the drawer will normally be constructed of wood of lesser grade than the heretofore employed front panels. In accordance with my abovementioned earlier patent, integral tab means can be provided at the rear extremity of the slide fitting for securing the slide in place. The instant invention deals with the immobilization of the forward end of the drawer slide and this is achieved by providing a generally longitudinally extending integral tab having an angular configuration in side elevation and which is further equipped with a plurality of longitudinally extending flutes which cooperate with the contour of a'complementarily shaped slot in the front panel.

Other objects, details and advantages of the invention may be seen as this specification proceeds. The invention is explained in conjunction with an illustrative embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drawer when viewed from the underside and rear and which features the inventive side in two positions, illustrating the method of installation thereof;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the drawer and slide such as would be seen along the sight line 2-2 applied to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view on enlarged scale of the left hand end of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, partially broken to foreshorten the same of the inventive slide.

In the illustration given and with particular reference to FIG. 1, the numeral designates generally a drawer which is seen to be of rectangular configuration. The drawer 10, it will be appreciated, will be normally associated with a dresser, desk, etc. (not shown). For the purpose of guiding the drawer during its insertion and retraction relative to the receiving structure, the

'FIGS. 2 and 3 along with the usual wooden side panels 15 and 16 and a bottom panel 17. I

As can be readily appreciated from a consideration of FIG. 4, the slide fitting 11 is generally C-shaped in transverse section over the major portion of its length terminating at its rear end in the integral upwardly (when the drawer is installed) extending tab means 12. At the front end of the slide fitting 11 I provide an integral tab generally designated 18 and which is seen to include a first part 19 and a second part 20. The first part 19 extends generally parallel to the length of the slide see particularly FIGS. 2 and 3 while the second part 20 (which is remote from the C-shaped section) is inclined at an oblique angle to the first part 19.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the front panel 14 includes a facing member 21 which is equipped with an annular, rearwardly extending perimetric flange 22, cast integral with the facing member 21. Additionally, the interior of the .front panel 14 is equipped with a supporting rib as at 23 which, in combination with the perimetric flange 22, provides an advantageous seat for the rear facing member 24.

The drawer front panels of this general type are known and the drawer front panel per se forms no part of this invention. In accordance with available techniques, the rear facing member 24 is integrated with the perimetric flange 22 by electronic heating, sealing, etc., so as to provide a rectangular hollow solid-type configuration.

The rear facing member 24 is equipped with a suitable perimetric rib as at 25 (see FIG. 3) for the purpose of receiving the bottom panel 17 which is secured therein in suitable, conventional fashion. Additionally, the rear facing member 24 is equipped with a horizontally extending slot 26 adapted to receive the tab 18. According to the invention, the tab 18 is longitudinally fluted as at 27, 28 and 29 (identified only in FIG. 4). Optimally, the flutes are V-shaped in transverse section and each flute has a width to height ratio in the range of about 3 to about 7. The slot 26, according to the invention, is contoured in a complementary fashion, i.e., has a zigzag upper and lower wall to correspond with the shape of the flutes 27-29.

In the operation'of the invention, the second part 20 is initially inserted into the slot 26 very much in the fashion illustrated generally in FIG. 1 and designated by the position 11. Thereafter, incident to pivoting the slide '11 to the solid line position (the lower position designated generally 11) the first part 19 of the slide is inserted into the slot 16 and ultimately the tab means 12 is positioned flush against the rear panel 13, after which the normal securing can be performed.

Through the practice of the invention, I have provided a quickly installable, firmly positioned slide with the need of only fastening the same at the rear end where space is readily available, the securing obscured from view and performed in conjunction with easy to use wooden panels while still making readily available the attractiveness and variety of a front plastic panel.

I claim:

1. In combination a drawer slide and a rectangular drawer having a hollow front panel, said drawer slide being adapted to be secured to the underside of said drawer and being relatively elongated in the direction of drawer movement when being inserted into or retracted from a dresser or the like, said drawer slide having a generally C-shape in transverse section extending over a major portion of its length to cooperate with a complementarily shaped guide on said dresser or the like, said drawer slide at its rear end having integral tab means adapted to be secured to the rear panel of said drawer, said drawer slide at its front end having a longitudinally projecting integral tab, said tab having a first part adjacent said C shape and extending generally parallel to the length of said drawer slide, said tab having a second part remote from said C shape and being inclined at an oblique angle to said first part whereby for installation on said drawer said drawer slide second part must be first inserted into saidhollow front panel, thereafter the drawer slide pivoted to bring said drawer slide into alignment with the bottom panel of said drawer and only thereafter the tab means secured to said rear panel, said tab in its first and second part being equipped with a plurality of longitudinally extending flutes.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said flutes are each generally V-shaped in transverse section.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which each flute has a width to height ratio in the range of about 3 to about 7. 

1. In combination a drawer slide and a rectangular drawer having a hollow front panel, said drawer slide being adapted to be secured to the underside of said drawer and being relatively elongated in the direction of drawer movement when being inserted into or retracted from a dresser or the like, said drawer slide having a generally C-shape in transverse section extending over a major portion of its length to cooperate with a Complementarily shaped guide on said dresser or the like, said drawer slide at its rear end having integral tab means adapted to be secured to the rear panel of said drawer, said drawer slide at its front end having a longitudinally projecting integral tab, said tab having a first part adjacent said C shape and extending generally parallel to the length of said drawer slide, said tab having a second part remote from said C shape and being inclined at an oblique angle to said first part whereby for installation on said drawer said drawer slide second part must be first inserted into said hollow front panel, thereafter the drawer slide pivoted to bring said drawer slide into alignment with the bottom panel of said drawer and only thereafter the tab means secured to said rear panel, said tab in its first and second part being equipped with a plurality of longitudinally extending flutes.
 2. The structure of claim 1 in which said flutes are each generally V-shaped in transverse section.
 3. The structure of claim 1 in which each flute has a width to height ratio in the range of about 3 to about
 7. 